GAM(BL)ING:
Commodification of Leisure in the Digital Era
Virtual symposium, May 10–13, 2021
This symposium brought together researchers, students, clinicians and others in the field to share knowledge and discuss issues surrounding digital gam(bl)ing and the commodification of leisure in the digital age. Presentations from the event are available to watch on this page.
Exploring hyperconnectivity and its relations to the consumption of games
With advances in technology, a wide range of everyday practices are becoming more digitalized.
The boundaries between offline and online spaces seem more blurred than ever, leading us to question how different forms of consumption connect harmoniously or disruptively along the physical-digital continuum.
Supported by ubiquitous mobile technologies and connected platforms, gam(bl)ing experiences have been shaped by hyper-connected and rapidly adaptive technological environments that have changed the very nature of gaming and gambling, making them virtually indistinguishable.
Three themes
The symposium was organized around one theme per day.
1. The Commodification of Games in the Digital Era
From a political economy perspective, this theme explores the power relations between producers, distributors and consumers of free mobile games. It examines how monetization, financialization and data commodification are increasingly embedded in game design and marketing strategies, and how players and their information are transformed into sources of capital.
2. Marketing, Promotion and Regulatory Issues
This theme examines the growing role of marketing and promotion in gambling, particularly within a framework that emphasizes individual responsibility and informed choice. It explores the responsibilities of gambling operators, the strategies used to attract consumers, and the regulatory and ethical questions surrounding gambling advertising.
3. Technology and Intervention: A Tenable Association?
This theme explores the growing use of digital technologies in gambling and addiction interventions. It considers the effectiveness and implications of online and mobile interventions, including self-monitoring, medicalization, individual responsibility, self-efficacy and the adaptation of clinical approaches to digital platforms. It also addresses questions of dissemination, advertising and confidentiality.
Presentations
Over three days, this virtual and interactive edition of our symposium offered a content-rich programme that included:
- Interactive sessions with internationally renowned guest speakers
- Presentation and exchange sessions with a new generation of students
- Workshops that promoted experimentation and discussion
In the closing session, we also had the privilege of engaging with a presentation by Mr. Edward Snowden!
Social representations of responsibility in gambling among young gamblers
Jean-Philippe Laforge
Streaming Slots
Pauline Hoebanx
The role of skinbetting in the transformation of skins into virtual currency
Anne Mette Thorhauge
